The most iconic surname in motorsport will be back in a Williams grand prix
car 18 years after Ayrton Senna died at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

Bruno Senna, nephew of the three-time world champion, has beaten off competition for the second seat at the Grove-based team, in the process almost certainly ending the Formula Onecareer of his friend and mentor Rubens Barrichello, and will line up alongside Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado this year.

The announcement led to mixed reactions within the sport, with some saying the association brought back unhappy memories of Imola.

Others said it was a sign of the times thatWilliams, who won nine constructors’ and seven drivers’ titles in the 1980s and 1990s but have fallen on harder times recently, should have to sign two South American drivers who bring large amounts of sponsorship backing with them.

That may be true. Nor is the Brazilian exactly a rookie driver about to explode on to the scene. He is already 28 and has raced for both HRT and Renault (now Lotus) in Formula One. But Senna showed more than enough in his outings last season to suggest he has untapped potential. He is also one of the most personable drivers in Formula One and universally liked.

Williams rejected the claim that was their chief motivation was money, insisting Senna had been picked on merit after a lengthy selection process.

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Barrichello, the most experienced driver in F1 history, reacted with characteristic dignity to news that he would not be lining up for a 20th consecutive season in the sport.

“I wish my friend @BSenna all the best,” he wrote on Twitter. “The future is wide open.”

Senna added that he had accepted the drive with the full blessing of his family. “I spoke to my grandparents even before my parents when I got the confirmation,” he said. “Everyone knows that we have been looking so hard for a chance and everyone is thrilled and super happy that Williams have given me that opportunity.”

Damon Hill, who raced alongside Ayrton Senna in that fateful race in 1994, also gave his blessing, saying Senna had raw talent and it was now up to him to “shake off the stigma” of being branded a ‘pay driver’.

Hill was unveiled on Tuesday as Sky Sports’ latest big-name signing as the satellite broadcaster prepares to launch a dedicated F1 channel in March ahead of its first season sharing coverage with the BBC. The 1996 world champion will travel to 10 races this year as an expert analyst.